Introduction. The peptide hormone relaxin, which is produced by cells of the corpus luteum during and outside pregnancy, has a huge number of clinically significant effects, mediating many biological mechanisms, including antifibrotic, vasodilatory, angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects.Purpose of the study: based on the study of modern literature data, to analyze the results of scientific research, representing the current system of views on the physiological and pathophysilogical effects of relaxin.Materials and methods. A study f scientific publications for the period from 2005 to 2020 in e PubMed and Elibrary databases was carried out using the keywords: relaxin, pregnancy, relaxin signaling pathway, reproductive system, extracellular matrix.Results and Discussion. The study of modern views on the physiology of relaxin has shown that this hormone mediates its effects by binding to the specific receptor RXFP1, which is localized in a large number of reproductive nonproductive tissues. Relaxin performs many functions related to the remodeling of the extracellular matrix and vasculature. The main uterotropic effects of this peptide include stimulation of growth and vascularization of the uterus, remodeling of extracellular matrix components, and regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor in preparation for implantation.Conclusion. The progress of the last decade in understanding the biochemistry of the hormone relaxin has formed the basis for a deeper penetration into all the variety of its physiological roles. The participation of relaxin in the mechanisms of relaxation of the myometrium during pregnancy, remodeling of the connective tissue of target organs in the antenatal period creases its potential clinical significance. The prospect of a possible therapeutic use of relaxin preparations in stimulating antenatal transformation of the cervix, in vitro fertilization, therapy of preeclampsia, acute heart failure and myocardial ischemia turns it into a potential therapeutic agent for these pathological conditions.
Macrophage Participation in the Degradation and Remodeling of Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds
